The First Few Days Home with Your New Puppy

by Bailey Coldwell

You’ve been planning to get a puppy for weeks, months, maybe even years now. The day has finally come. You are about to walk into your home with your new family member. Now what?

Throw out the idea of perfection. I’m going to give some of the tips and tricks that have worked well for me when first introducing the puppy to my home. Be aware that every situation is going to be slightly different, as your household is going to be different from my household. 

The first thing you want to do when you get home is bring your puppy to their potty spot. If the surface differs from what the breeder was using, adjusting might take some time. If you know what surface the breeder used for potty training, you can help your puppy transition by putting the old potty training surface on top of the new potty training surface. For example, if your puppy used pee pads at their previous home, put them on the new potty spot for a few days. Your puppy is also not going to understand a potty cue at first. Use the same cue every time, bring your puppy to the spot frequently, and reward them when they do potty in their correct place. 

If you have other animals in the home, put them in separate rooms before bringing the new puppy inside. Give your resident animal a snack and play some calming music. Bring in a toy, blanket, or other belongings that will smell like the puppy for them to get acquainted to. After your puppy has had their first nap in the crate, you can introduce the pets through a barrier such as a baby gate. Remember to take it at a pace that both animals are happy with, know the body language of your animals, and take breaks as needed. This is a significant change for all, and it could take time for everyone to start living in harmony. For more information, we have a class on dog introductions and interactions. You can also check out our program “Preparing for My Puppy” and the module “New and Existing Pet Introductions”. 

We know you will be so excited to show off your new puppy to your kids, other members of the household, and maybe even friends from outside the home. Remember, you are all strangers to your puppy. We want to be careful not to overwhelm the puppy. If people are waiting for you and your puppy inside your home, prevent them from bombarding the door. Instead, have them seated on the floor or the couch. We want the puppy to be the one to freely walk up to them, versus everyone approaching the puppy. When you walk in, either have the puppy on a leash with you or follow the puppy closely. Talk carefree to help encourage the puppy to be happy but not too excited. Try not to allow behaviors you don’t want as an adult dog, even from day one. This means don’t allow the puppy to jump all over people, don’t give them what they want for barking, or continue making contact with us if they are biting.

Once the puppy is done checking out any additional human family members, I like to have the puppy explore the home, with me close behind. I praise the puppy and give pieces of kibble to reward good behavior. If my puppy starts to squat to potty, chew on items I don’t want, or offer other unwanted behaviors, I’m right there to redirect and interrupt. I will also show my puppy the playpen, crate, water bowl, and toys. 

At this point, the puppy is likely ready for a break. I will bring them to the potty spot for one more potty break and then encourage a nap in the crate. This is a good time for me also to decompress. I can unpack my vehicle and grab something to eat. Your puppy might not immediately love the crate. This is okay and normal. Make it as positive as possible by adding food, a snuggle puppy, a toy, potentially a thin blanket/towel, covering the crate, and playing white noise. You can also remain close by to help give the puppy some comfort. Even from the start, it is important that you do not go back into sight or earshot of your puppy until they are quiet for at least 5-10 seconds. If sometimes we give attention to barking or scratching at the cage, the puppy is learning that those behaviors work and they will continue to do so. We know that it can be hard to listen to a puppy crying, but know that you are doing them a favor by helping them learn to be okay without us. The length of this first nap depends on what time you bring your puppy home. If you bring your puppy home in the evening, I would recommend a shorter nap (40-60 minutes). If it is midday, it is okay for your puppy to have a longer nap (60-120 minutes). 

Once your puppy is done napping and you have had a chance to relax as well, bring your puppy to the potty spot. When coming back inside, this is a good time to do the initial introductions to your other animals, as discussed earlier. You can then either monitor your puppy closely in a small area with you or put the leash on the puppy. I like to use the leash inside the home to help my puppy get familiar with leash work, prevent my puppy from sneaking off, interrupt unwanted behaviors, and make it easier for me to notice and reward good behaviors my puppy offers. When your puppy is not in the crate or playpen, plan to be relatively focused on your puppy until they learn the rules of your home, this is a good time to interact with your puppy. Fluctuate between light play, simple training (saying pup’s name and sit to say please), and just relaxing with your puppy. It is an excellent habit for our puppies to start learning to be in our home without us constantly touching them or giving them direct attention. 

After your puppy spends this time interacting with you, give them another potty break. Now would be a good time for the puppy to get some time in the playpen or other secure area larger than their crate. This is a good time for you to be nearby cooking, cleaning, reading a book, or any other regular daily activity that you perform.  I like to be near my puppy when they are first in a pen. Pens are easier for puppies to escape, and puppies are more likely to have accidents here due to larger space. Therefore, I first teach contentment in the pen while I am close by,  before being away from them while they are in there. When I can’t be near my new puppy, they are in the crate. While they are in the pen, reward them for being good. If they are jumping on the pen, barking, or otherwise acting up, ignore them. The name “exercise pen” or “playpen” can be deceiving. Your puppy is surely allowed to play and chew on toys independently when in the pen. But it is entirely okay for them to rest or just relax in the pen. 

So, those are the three options I switch through during the first few days with my puppy. They are either in a crate, in a pen, or on a leash with me/being closely monitored by me. As the puppy gets used to the home and as you naturally gain more trust for them, you can start to give more freedom. The time the puppy spends in each of these situations, depends on your schedule. We have an example schedule on our website that you can check out. Again, my day to day schedule will look slightly different than your schedule or Amy’s schedule. Life doesn’t look the same for any of us (thankfully!). So don’t try to force a schedule that is miserable for you. I personally like to do increments of about an hour in each location. One hour in the pen with me nearby, one hour on a leash with me, and one to two hours in the crate. With that being said, you do, however, want to ensure that a two-month-old puppy gets a potty break after two hours of being in the crate during the day. Even more frequently if the puppy is in the pen or has more freedom with you. Once your puppy goes a few days/week without an accident, experiment with adding 15 minutes or so in between potty breaks. See if they start to give you subtle signs that they need to potty. I also like sometimes to vary the schedule. I encourage short sessions (just a few seconds or minutes) in the crate. This is to help the puppy be reminded that just because they are going into the crate, it isn’t always for long periods of time. 

Take training at a pace that works for you. We would rather you be slow and successful, rather than speedy and stressed. Add in play during training sessions and add in training during play sessions. This will help the pup’s energy fluctuate between zone two and zone three, instead of just rising quickly to zone four. We often get asked what we consider to be the most important puppy “things” to focus on during the first few days or weeks with your puppy. I will give my thoughts on this, but know that the answer might vary depending on your goals and household: 

• A bond. 

• Separation work, even just minimal, from the start. 

• Rewarding good behaviors that your puppy is simply offering. 

• Don’t allow your puppy to have free access to your entire home until they learn the rules of your home. 

• Make sure that your puppy is getting enough rest. 

• Redirection and interruption for behaviors you do not want. 

• Observe and learn about who your puppy is. Any fears? What toys do they like? Where do they like to be pet? What tone of voice do they respond best to? 

We want you to have a life outside of your puppy. Prevent burnout by still allowing yourself time to enjoy your hobbies, even during the first few weeks. Take a deep breath. Soon, this new puppy will become a normal part of your life. It is expected that whenever there is a big change in life (such as a new job, new home, new relationship) there are going to be overwhelming and even scary parts about it. Remember your reasons for bringing your new puppy home in the first place and have fun!